Liquid dispenser



A March 26, 1946.

l. o. L EAcH LIQUID DISPENSER Filed Jam;- 12, 1945 INVENTR. I g Z0 y 0'.f

4 fr0/@Aas vs Patented Mar. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENTFTOFFICE2,397,32'11'y Q. I LIQUID DISPENSER Lloyd 0.1mm, seatt1e,wash. a

Application January 12, 1945,Serial No'.572,'481 Y 4 claims.l(orisgf-is) Y The present invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in liquid dispensers designed primarily for use in applyingoil, hair tonic and the like to a persons scalp and the invention hasfor its primary object to provide a device of this character formed as ah-air comb and by means of which a desired liquid may be applied to thescalp while combing the hair.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a fountaincomb of this character embodying a novel valve construction forregulating the flow of the liquid from the comb.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character ofsimple :and practical construction, which is eflicient and reliable inoperation, and which at the same time is neat and attractive inappearance and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which thesame is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially ona line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially on a line3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the valve in openposition.

Figure 5 is a verticaltransverse sectional view taken substantially on aline 5--5 of Figure (i, and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on a lineE-B of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein for the purpose ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention,the numeral 5 designates an elongated container preferably constructedof relatively thin rubber or other exible material and having a fillerplug 6 threaded in one end by means of which a suitable liquid, such asoil, hair tonic or the like may be placed in the container.

One edge of the container is formed with a plurality of teeth 1 to forma comb and between certain of the teeth the walls of the container 5 areformed with passages 8 for supplying liquid from the container to theteeth by means of which the liquid may be applied to the scalp of aperson while combing the hair.

A longitudinally extending slot 9 is formed in the Wall of the containerat its edge provided with the teeth 1, the slot intersecting thepassages 8 and slidably mounted in the slot 9 is an elongated valve Il)having transversely extending longitudinally spaced `openings vI'Itherein Aadapted to register-with the passages-8 tov controlcommunicationl through 'said passages.

' yvI-he slot 9' communicates with the interior of the chamber 5 atoneen'd'of the slot and the valve I0 vextends laterally at one end asindicated at I2 into the container and is formed with oppositelyextending spring arms I3 having intermediate portions bearing againstthe opposite side walls of the container 5.

The spring arms'I3 converge at their ends op posite from the lateralextension I2 and are connected by an extension I4 having a head I5thereon embedded in the end wall of the container opposite from the plugB. A

The pair of arms I3 combine to form a substantially elliptical spring aswill be apparent from an inspection of Figures 3 and 6 of the drawing,the spring being anchored at one end by the .head I5 embedded inthe endof the container and the other end of the spring being free to cause asliding movement of the valve Ill during expanding and contractingaction of the spring. Accordingly, when the spring is in its expandedposition as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, the openings II of thevalve I0 will be maintained out of registry with the passages 8 and thepassages thus will be closed. However, when the spring is contracted bythe pressure of the fingers of a person engaged with the opposite sidewalls yof the container 5 in a manner as indicated in Figure 6 of thedrawing, the valve I 0 will be moved longitudinally in the slot 9 tobring the openings II into registry with the passages 8 whereby to openthe passages and permit liquid from the container to flow through thepassages between the teeth Tof the comb.

While I have shown the invention adapted for use as a valve for afountain -comb it will be apparent that the valve structure may be usedin conjunction with other types of liquid dispensing devices.

It is believed that the details of construction, manner of operation andadvantages' of the device will be readily understood from the foregoingwithout further detailed explanation. Y

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A liquid dispenser comprising an elongated container having flexibleside walls and provided with a passage in its bottom wall, and a valveslidably mounted in the container to open and close said passage andincluding an elliptical spring formed as a part of the valve andparallel-k ing the valve, said spring being in contact with said sideWalls and operable upon a collapsing movement of the side walls to exthe spring and slidably actuate the valve.

2. A liquid dispenser comprising an elongated container having exibleside Walls and provided With a passage in its bottom wall, and a valveslidably mounted in the container to open and close said passage andincluding an elliptical spring paralleling the valve and connected atone end thereto, and'imeans for anchoring the other end of the spring inthe container, said spring being in contact with said side Walls andoperable upon a collapsing movement of the side Walls to iieX the springand slidably actuatethe valve. Y

3. A fountain comb comprising a liquid Vcontainer forming the back ofthe -comband-having ilexible side Walls, passages in the Wall of thecontainer communicating Withthe teeth of thecomb, a slot in saidWallintersecting the passages, a valve slidablvmounted in the-slot andhaving openings adaptedtoregister With said passages to open and closethe latter, al1-elliptical spring-paralleling the valve and connected-toone end thereto, and means'for anchoring the-other end of the spring inthe container, said spring being-incontact with said side walls andoperable upon a collapsing movement of the side Walls to ex the` springand slidably actuate the valve.

4. A liquid dispenser comprising an elongated container having exibleside walls and a bottom Wall coincident with the back of a comb, saidbottom wall and coincident comb back being provided With a transversepassage establishing communication between said container and the toothbase on the comb back, a reciprocatory valve slidably mounted in thecontainer bottom Wall and coincident comb back and operativeintersectingly crosswise of said transverse passage so as to openandclose said passage, said valve in one of itspositions normally closingsaid passage; and an elongated spring element Within said containerparalleling said valve and connected thereto `whereby to normally holdthe valve yieldably in itspassage closing position, said spring elementbeing transversely deformable and constantly in contact with at leastone of Said containerside Walls and operable upon a collapsing movementof the side Wall to flex and change the length of the spring element andthereby slidably actuate the Valve to passage opening position;

LLOYD O. LEACI-I.

